r/science • u/FunnyGamer97 • 1d ago

Medicine Most US neurologists prescribing MS drugs have received pharma industry cash | Nearly 80% of US neurologists prescribing drugs for multiple sclerosis (MS) received at least one pharma industry payment, with higher volume prescribers more likely to be beneficiaries, 5 year study finds

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1095648
1.7k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

187 comments sorted by

View all comments

37

u/grasshopper239 1d ago

I'm not the smartest person ever. But pharmaceutical companies should be exclusively marketing to doctors, not to the public.
I want to throw up every time I hear "ask your prescriber" on TV

39

u/NinjaLanternShark 1d ago

Pharma companies shouldn't be marketing to doctors either. They should publish their research and doctors should learn about new treatment options through unbiased continuing education.

What makes anyone think that the drug with the biggest marketing budget is automatically the best one to prescribe people?

1

u/andy013 1d ago

They shouldn't be involved in the research either. There are many examples where they have either outright lied or subtly biased the research to make their product look safer or more effective than it actually is. We must have independent scientists designing and conducting the testing for all drugs and medical devices.